Slack adjusting apparatus



March 25, 1941; c. c. FARMER LACK ADJUST'ING APPARATUS asheets-slwel 1 Filed Oct. 5l, 1959 ATTORNEY I Ylll Marh 25;, 1941.

C. C. FARMER .sLAcK ADJUSTING APPARATUS Filed O Cb. 3l, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR rCLYDE c. FARMER BY v Y Mug,

ATTORNEY March 25, 1941. c. c. FARMER SLACK ADJUSTING APPARATUS- Filed Oct. 31, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 on Q9 92 R E amA mA WF. VC mE. D w c .Y B

ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 25, 1941 f l UNITED sTATEs- PATENT oFFicE SLACK ADJUSTING APPARATUS Clydc C. Farmer, Pittsburgh, Pasassignorto The WestinghousczAir Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 31, 1939, Serial No. 302,139

16 Claims. (Cl. 18S-202) This invention relates .to railway vehicle truck vibration of the mechanism when the truck is brake mechanisms and more particularly tothat vin motion. type of mechanism which embodies rautomatical- A further'object `oi' the invention is to make ly operable means for taking up slack in the theabove mentioned driving connection in the mechanism due to wear of the friction braking form of a spring'in which there is adapted to be 5 elements andassociated parts of the mechanism. stored up, in eiiecting an application of the In truck brake mechanisms and especially in brakes, sufficient energy to effect the operation brake mechanisms of the clasp type it is .diffiof the slack take-up mechanism, upon a subsecult to eect adjustments .to take up slack withquent release of the brakes, to shorten the efout causing excessive angularity of the usual tective length of the-connecting rod of the mech- 10 operatively connected dead and live levers. To Ianism. overcome this difficulty it has therefore been Other-objects Iand :advantages will be apparent proposed to mount an Iautomatically operative from the following more detailed description of slack adjusting engine or other driving mechathe invention.

nism on the connecting rod which operatively Inthe ac-companyin-g drawings, Fig. lisafrag- 15 connects the :dead :and live levers together. mentary plan view .of a portion of a railway ve- While this arrangement will provide the desired hicle truck and brake mechanism embodying the adjustment without producing'excessive angularinvention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of ity of :the brake levers, it is nevertheless obthe same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig.

jectionable in that the adjusting engine or otherV 3 is -a cross-sectional view of a portion of the 20 driving mechanism will be subjected to heavy slack adjusting mechanism taken on the line vibrations which may be set up in the brake 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 isan enlarged vertical secmechanism. This arrangement is further obtional view of that `portion of the mechanism jectionable in that the adjusting engine or othery shown in Fig. 3 Iand is taken on the line 4--4 of 1 driving mechanism will 4be in a position where it Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view of that portion 25 is liable to `be damaged by water, 'and flying parof the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, portions of the ticles, such as dust and ballast material or the casing being broken away to more clearly illuslike which may .be picked up along the road be trate certain -operating characteristics of the apwhen the truck is in motion. i paratus; Fig'. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken 30 The principal object of the invention is to on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 illustrates a provide :an automatic slack yadjusting mechanism slight modification of the invention. Fig. 8 is a for varying the eliective length of a connecting fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 1 but illusrod of a railway vehicle truck brake mechanism tratingr the invention applied to a diierent type which will be free from the above mentionedv difof brake mechanism Iand truck; Fig. 9 is a vertiiiculties and objections. cal-sectional view of the same taken on the line 35 This object is attainedby providing the con- 9-9 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary ver-- necting rod with a slack .take-up mechanism for tical sectionalview showingA a modification of the Varying the effective length of' the connecting invention applied to a truck and brake mecharod and by mounting on the frame of the truck, msm of ,the typeshown in Figs, 1 and 2',

40 in a location remote from the track rails, a drv- The truck illustrated in Figs 1 and. 2 is of the Aing apparatus whi-ch is operative to actu'atel the' .equalizer type and may .comprise the usual'iruck 51a?? takeu'p mechamsm' me apparat@ in uns frame having laterally spaced side pieces l which p osltlon bemg Wen out ,)f *he Way of ymg par." are connected together in the usual well known ticles of ballast or the like which maybe. picked manner at each end by an end piece 2 and nter 45 up from bhe road bed' i mediate their ends by spaced tran-soms 3.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible driving connection between the above Adlacelt ea'cl? end of the truck @zich 51de plce I 1s provided w1th spaced pedestal jaws 4 which mentioned driving apparatus and slack take-up mechanism of .the Slack adjusting mechanism straddle and are slldably guided vertically upon 5o whereby relative movement between the truck an axe box 5 which is Carried by the 0111291 end 50 frame and brake mechanismin .any direction will 0f the axle 6 Secured "50 the truck Wheel 7- The. not impair the operation of vthe slack adjusting truck further comprises an equalizer bar 8 which mechanism. This flexible connection makes it extends longitudinally of the truck and rests at possible to mount the driving apparatus on the each end upon an axle box 5. The truck frame 55 truck frame where it is free from shockv due to isl supported for vertical movement relative to 55 the wheel 1 through the medium of springs 9 which are carried by the equalizer bars 8.

The brake mechanism shown is of the type which is `complete for one wheel of the truck and in view 4of this only those parts of the truck which are necessary to a clear understanding of the invention has Ibeen shown, and the following description of the invention will, for simplication be more or less limited to what is shown.

The brake mechanism shown comprises brake elements I0 and II whi-ch are disposed in clasp arrangement about the wheel and which are movable into and out of frictional braking env gagement with the tread surface of the wheel. Each of these brake elements mayrcomprise the usual brake head and brake shoe which are gsecured together in the usual manner and since this combination of brake head and shoe is so well known in the brake art each element will, for the sake of simplifying the description, be hereinafter referred to by the .term brake shoe.

The brake shoe I0 is pivotally connected to a vertically disposed live or brake cylinder lever I2 at a point located adjacent the lowerend of the lever. This brake shoe is pivotally supported from the truck frame by means of a hanger I3, and the lever I2 in turn is supported by the brake shoe. The lower end of the lever is operatively connected to one end of the bottom connecting member which, in the present em- :bodiment of the invention, is in the form of a longitudinally extending yoke I4 which straddles the wheel 1 as shown, the lever being connected to the open end of the yoke.

The brake shoe II is pivotally connected to a vertically disposed dead lever I5 yat a point located adjacent -the lower end of the lever. The upper end of this lever is pivotally carried by a pin I3 which is mounted in laterally spaced lugs I1 extending downwardly from an inwardly extending horizontally disposed top flange I8 of a bracket I3 secured to the side piece I of the truck frame.

Pivotally connected to the lower end of the dead lever and carried thereby is a gear box or casing I9 in which there is journaled a slack take-up member 2D that extends in a -direction longitudinally of the truck to the exterior of the casing, the outer end of the member having screw-threaded connection with ,the closed end portion 2I of the yoke I4. The inner end of the member is provided with a bevel gear wheel 22 through the medium of which the member is adapted to be rotated. This gearwheel meshes with ya corresponding bevel gear wheel 23 which is secured to a short vertically disposed driving shaft 24 journaled in the gear casing.

Exteriorly of the gear casing the driving shaft 24 is provided with a hollow extension 25 having an exterior hexagonal upper portion 26 which, as will hereinafter more fully appear is adapted to be engaged by a wrench or other suitable tool for manual operation of the driving shaft.

Extending into the hollow portion 25 and anchored thereto is the lower end of a vertically disposed flexible driving element which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is in the form of a coil spring 21, which spring, las will hereinafter more fully appear, is adapted to effect the rotation of the driving shaft 24 and thereby the bevel gear wheels 23 and 22 `and take-up member 23. This spring, as will also hereinafter more fully appear is adapted to be wound up when the brakes are lbeing applied if there is slack in the brake mechanism to be taken up and is adapted to act, under the influence of the power stored up therein, to rotate the shaft 24 upon the subsequent release of the brakes.

For the purpose of winding up this spring 21, a winding apparatus is provided Which is carried by the truck frame bracket I3. This apparatus comprises a casing which is formed by the horizontal top flange I 8 of the bracket I8 and a cover portion 28 which is rigidly secured to the flange. Contained in the chamber dened by vthe inner surface of the cap portion 28 and the upper surface of the flange I8' is a ratchet wheel 29 having a downwardly depending hub 3B which rests on the upper surface of the ange I3', which hub is rigidly secured to the upper end of a short vertically disposed rotatable shaft 3|' journaled in the flange I8'. Below the flange, the lower end portion of the shaft is secured to the upper en d of the spring 21 in such a manner that when it rotates it will wind up the spring.

The ratchet wheel is provided with spaced internal teeth 32 through the medium of which the ratchet wheel is adapted to be driven in its spring winding direction and is further provided with external teeth 33 which'are'adapted to be engaged by a pawl 34 pivotally mounted on a vertical disposed pin 35 carried by the flange I8 for preventing unwanted reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel bythe action of the spring 21. This pawl is normally urged into holding engagement with one of the teeth 33 by a spring 35 which is interposed between and operatively engages the pawl and the cap portion yof the casing.

Rotatably `journaled in the upper end of the shaft'3I and the cap section of the casing is a vertically disposed shaft 31 which is axially alignedv with the shaft 3I. Encircling the shaft 31 and-.rigidly secured thereto is a sleeve member.33 having spaced radially extending arms 39, 40 and 4I. The arm 39 have pivotally connected thereto, by means of a vertically disposed pin 42, the inner end of a driving pawl 43, the outer end of the pawl being normally held in operative driving engagement with one of the teeth 32 of the ratchet wheel by means of a coil spring 44 which is interposed between the arm and pawl. The outer longitudinal edge of this pawl is convex'in shape, and with the pawl in its normal position as shown in Fig. 2, this edge contacts a pin or lug 45 which is rigidly carried by the cap portion of thecasing.

The pivot pin 42 for the driving pawl 43 is of sucha length that its upper end portion extends a short distance above the upper arm 39 of the sleeve member 38 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. This portion of the pin, with the arms 39 in their normal position as shown in Fig. 3, engages the inner end of a pawl throw out lever 46 which is pivotally mounted on a pin or lug 41 rigidly carried by the cap portion of the casing as best shown in Fig. 6. 'Ihis lever is disposed above and passes over the top edge of the ratchet wheel, land `at its outer end operatively engages the pawl 34.

Located exteriorly of the upper wall of the cap portion of the casing is an actuating arm 48 which is rigidly secured at one end to the upper end of the shaft 31. The outer end of this lever has a lost motion connection with one end of an operating rod 49 so as to permita limited longitudinal movement of the rod relative to the arm. The other end ofthe rod is operatively connected to the upper end of the brake cylinder lever I2. The lostmotion connection between the arm 46 and the rod 49 comprises a vertically disposed Contact with the rod attire outerr'end of the slotv as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. K 4

For effecting the operation of the brake mechanism a brake cylinder device is vprovided which,

in the present embodiment of the invention is rigidly secured to a transom 3 of the truck. This device may be of the usual well known Constr-uqtion having a casing 50 in which there is oper'- atively mounted a piston, not shown, having "a piston rod 5| which is adapted to `actuatea push rod 52. The outer end of the push rodisoper, atively connected to the brake cylinder lever l2 at a point located between the upper end'of the lever and the-brake shoef lll. The device' may also comprise the usual releasespring'not shown.

The arm 48 has sli-dably mountedtherein for vertical movement a vertically disposedstcppin 54 which is normally held inA its lowermost position, as best shown in Fig. 4, by a spring 455. The lower end of this pin is adaptedto engage a rigid stop lug 56 projecting upwardly vfrom thev upper wall of the cap section of the'casing, and this interengagement of the pin and lug prevents unwanted movement of the arm and associated parts in a counterclockwise direction beyond their normal position. The upper end of thev pinfis provided with a head 51 whereby the pin may` be manually raised out of the plane of the stop lug 56 when it is desired to manually actuate th slack take-up mechanism.

In operation when it is desired to veffect an application of the brakes, iiuidunder'pressureis admitted to the brake cylinder device by way of pipe 53, causing the brake cylinder piston and rod 5l to move the push rod 52 outwardly, i; e.,

in the direction toward the left hand as viewedin Fig. 2. The push rod in its traverse actuates they brake cylinder lever I2 and thereby the yoke 1 4' and dead lever l5 in the usual manner to force the brake shoes l0 and Il into frictional braking engagement with the tread surface of the Wheel'1.

It will here be note-d that the lever I2 as it is actuated toward. its `braking position, as just' described, moves the operating rod 49' longitudinally relative to the pin 48', and if there is no slack to be taken up in the brake mechanism, the rod 49 will not move far enough for the rear end of the slot 49' to engage the pin, consequently there will be no adjusting'operations of the slack adjusting apparatus by the rod43.

As wear of the brake shoes I0 and Il and associated parts of thebrake mechanism Wear' away the operatingv rod 49 will be movedA further in the direction of the left han-d andA will cause the arm 48 and thereby the shaft 31, arms 39, 4.0

and 4I and driving pawl 43 to be moved inlav counterclockwise direction. Now since the'pawl- 43 is in engagement with a tooth 32 of the-ratchet wheel, it will impart rotary movement in the same direction to the ratchet wheel and the ratchet wheel will in turn impart rotarymotion to the shaft 3| thereby winding up'the-spring 21. As the ratchet wheel is thus` moved, the pawl 34 will ratchet over thev tooth 33 which is located next to the tooth with which the pawl is shown in engagement in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to release the brakes, iluid under pressure' is discharged from the brake cylinder by way of the pipe 53, thus'permitting the brake shoes and several parts of the brakey mechanism to return to their release positions operation of the member.

inthe usual manner.. It should here be mentioned that whenl the brakes are applied, the frictional resistance of the take-up member 20 is'great enough to prevent its rotation by the energized spring 21, so that during the application of the brakes rthere will be no slack take-up When, however', the brakes are released this frictional resistance .is reduced, so that, the energized spring acts to rotatethe member. When the member is thus rotated, the screw-threaded connection between the member and the yoke 43 act to draw the lower ends of the levers i2 and I5 and brake shoes carried thereby'toward each other, thus automatically taking up the slack in the brake rigging. It will here be noted that' since the pawl 34 is in locking engagement with a tooth 33 of the ratchet wheel, the springs cannot move the ratchet wheel in a clockwise direction, so

, that the full power of the energized spring is utilized for actuating the member.

To insure the return of the arm 48 to its normal position in releasing the brakes, a coil spring 6|] is provided having one end anchored to the arm 4I of the sleeve 38 and the other arm anchored-to the upper Wall of the cap portion of the casing as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and this spring acts at all times to urge the arm 48 toward its normal position.

When it is desired to provide or let out slack in the brake mechanism, as would be the case when replacing Worn shoes with new ones, the workman by the use of the head 51 raises the stop pin 54 in the armA 43 out of engagement with the stop lug 53 on the cap section of the casing. When this is accomplished the spring (il) acts to rotate the sleeve 38 and thereby the driving pawl 43, shaft 31 and arm 48 in a clockwise direction. The pin 42 moves with the sleeve and rocks the lever 45 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot pin 41, the lever as it is thus moved, moving the pawl 34 out of locking engagement with the ratchet' wheel 29. As the arm 48 reaches the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, the stop pin 54 will engage with a second stop lug BI provided on the exterior of the upper wall of the cap section of the casing, which inter-engagement brings the arm and Ithereby the shaft 31, sleeve 38, pawl 43, lever 43, and pawl 34 to a stop. As the pawl 43 is being rotated by the sleeve 38 the pin 45 acts to force rthe pawl `out ofv engagement with the ratchet wheel.

With the pawls 34 and 43 thus moved out of the path of travel of the teeth 33 and 32, respectively, the ratchet wheel 29 is free to be rotated in either direction, so that the workman may, by the use of a wrench applied to the hexagonal portion 26 of the shaft 24 rotate the shaft and thereby the meshing gear wheels 23 and 22 and take-up member 20 to properly adjust the brake mechanism.

After'the brake mechanism has beenadjusted, the operator moves the arm 48 backrto its normal position, causing the pawls 34 and 43 to be moved into engaging relationship with the ratchet wheel 29 as shown in Fig. 3.

If for any reason the springiiil does not act to move the arm 48 from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 when the stop pin is raised out of 'engagement with the lug 55,' the workman may of course eect such movement.

From the foregoing description it -vvill be apparent that as the dead lever and consequently the gear box |9 and several parts carried by the gear box move relative to the truck frame in applying and releasing the brakes, the spring 21 flexes to accommodate such movement but at the same time remains operative to effect adjustment of the take-up member. This spring also absorbs shocks set up in the brake mechanism and thereby prevents them from being transmitted to the slack take-up driving apparatus carried by the truck frame. When, due to wear, there is relative vertical movement between the dead lever |5 and the .truck frame, the spring 21 Will iiex longitudinally to accommodate such movement but will remain operative toefect the operation of the slack take-up apparatus.

In some instances it may be desired to protect the spring 21 against the collection of foreign matter such as snow, ice, dust or other material which may be picked up from theroad bed. In such instances the spring may, as shown in Fig. 7 be enclosed in'a flexible protective covering or boot 10 which may be securely clamped at one end to the portion 25 of the shaft 24 and at the other end to the outer end of the shaft 3|. In Figs. 8 and 9 the slack adjusting apparatus is shown embodied in a brake mechanism of multiple shoe drum type such as shown in an application for United States Letters Patent of Carlton D. Stewart, Serial No. 214,517, led June 18,

1938, now Patent No. 2,177,953, dated Oct. 3l, 1939.

As shown in these gures the vehicle truck frame is substantially of the same construction as the truck frame shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The brake mechanism comprises a brake drum which is secured to a Wheel and axle assembly 9| of the vehicle truck for rotation With the assembly. Arranged about the outer or peripheral braking surface of the drum are spaced brake shoesI 92, 93 and 94 which are adapted to be moved into and out of frictional braking engagement with the braking surface of the drum. The brake shoes 92 and 93 are disposed in clasp arrangement with relation to the brake drum and are adapted to be operated by means of a brake cylinder lever 95 and a dead lever 96, respectively, operatively connected together at their lower ends by a bottom connecting rod 91. For actuating the brake cylinder lever and thereby the dead lever 96, a brake cylinder device 98 is provided which is carried by a transom 3 of the frame of the vehicle truck.

Located above the brake drum and extend-ing' longitudinally of the truck is a beam 99 which is pivotally connected at one end to the truck frame to permit vertical rocking movement of the member relative to the brake drum. I.

The brake cylinder lever 95 is supported from the brake shoe 92, which shoe is in turn supported by a pair of laterally spaced hangers |00 which are pivotally carried by the beam "99. The upper end of the dead lever 96 is pivotally connected to the beam 99 and through this connection the lever is supported by the beam.

Between the levers 95 and 96 there is operatively secured to the beam 99 the brake shoe izing bar 8 carried on the axle box 5 of the truck. I

j The slack adjusting apparatus may be identical inoperation and construction with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive. There is one diiierence, however, in that in Figs. 8 and 9 the driving mechanism is shown mounted on the extension |0| of the movable beam 99 instead of being rigidlycarried by the truck frame as is the case in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 7. l

In Fig. 10 a modification of the invention is illustratedin connection with the clasp brake mechanism of the type shown in Figs. l and 2. Asshown the rotatable slack take-up member 20 Whichis operatively mounted in a casing |05 and pivotally carried by the dead lever l5 is directly connected tothe lower end of the spring 21, whichspring 21 when energized or Wound up by the Winding mechanism is adapted to directly drive the slack take up member.

The spring winding mechanism is identical with theycorresponding mechanism shown' in Figs. lfto 7, inclusive, but is carried by the end piece of the truck frame.

Instead of employing the brake cylinder lever |2 to actuate the Winding mechanism as is done in the mechanism shown in Figs. l to 2, a fluid pressure cylinder device |06 is provided for this purpose.

'I'his cylinder device is rigidly secured to an end piece 2 of the truck frame and may comprise a casing having a piston |01 operatively mounted therein, which piston is provided with a stem |08 to which. the outer end of the arm 48 of the Winding mechanism is operatively connected.

At one side ofthe piston |01 there is a chamber |09 which is normally connected through a pipe ||0 to the chamber at the non-pressure side ofthe brake cylinder piston of the usual type of brake cylinder device Iadapted for use with automatic slack adjusting apparatus, which brake cylinder chamber-is normally in open communication with the atmosphere.

Interposed between and operatively engaging the other side of the piston |01 and the casing is a spring' which, as will hereinafter appear,

isl adapted to return the piston and thereby the winding mechanism to normal' release position.

It will here be noted that the piston |01 will be maintained in its normal position, against the action of the spring by the arm 48 which, in turn, is held in its normal position by the engagement of the stop pin '54 With the stop lug 56. {In this position, the' piston |01 will be spaced away from the pressure head of the cylinder, so that when the pin 54 is raised out of engagement with the stop lug 5B, spring I Will actuate the piston and thereby the arm 48 to move the pawls 34 and 43 'of the winding mechanism out of engagement with the ratchet Wheel 29 and thus condition the vslack adjusting apparatus for manual operation to take up or provide slack. This manual operation is accomplished by means of a wrench or other suitable tool applied to the outer end ||2 which is preferably made in the form of a nut.

In operation, when, due to Wear of the brake shoes or other parts of the brake mechanism, the travel Aof the brake cylinder piston, in operating to effect an application of the brakes, exceeds the normal travel it opens communication between the pressure chamber of the brake cylinder and the pipe |I0, so that fluid under pressure will ow from this chamber to the piston chamber |09 of the cylinder device. Fluid under pressureadmitted to chamber |09 causes the als ,up mechanism and Winding means being capable ,.of. bodily movement relative to each other and said exible means being yieldable to such move- .ment. Y l

.4. In a slack adjusting apparatus for a ve- 1 piston to operate to rotate the winding mechanism in a counterclockwise direction ,to Wind up or energize the spring 21. y y

When in releasing the brakes the brake cylinder piston kagain causes the pipe. and thereby the pressure chamber |09 of the ,cylinder device to be connected to the non-pressure chamber of the brake cylider device, uid under pressure will be vented from the .pressure chamber to the atmosphere by way ofy the non-pressure chamber of the brake cylinder device. Upon such venting Athe spring will cause the piston to return toits normal position."`

Now when the brake shoes move out of engagement with the tread of the wheel, the energized spring acts to rotate the slack take-up member relative to the yoke I4, thus shortening the effective length of the yoke and therebyA efecting the take-up adjustmentv of the brake shoes.

General considerations It will be apparent from the foregoing description that by the use of'a flexible operating connection between the slack take-up member, carried by the bottom connectingrod, and the actuating mechanism, carried at a point remote from .the connecting rod, the exact positioning of the member and mechanism with relation tofeach other, required when rigid operatingconnections are employed, is eliminated. It will further be apparent that this flexible operating connection will permit relative movement between theslack take-up member and the actuating mechanism and thereby prevent binding action betwe'en'these parts which would otherwise occur. l l

By utilizing a spring as the flexible connection the two above mentioned features are obtained and the spring is further utilized tol store up energy for actuating the slack take up member .to take up slack in the brake mechanism.

` While several illustrative embodiments ofthe invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to` these embodiments or otherwise than by the terms'of the appended claims.

Having noW described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a slack adjusting apparatus for .a vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, spring means adapted when torsioned to drive said mechanism, and means remotely located. from said mechanism operative by the brake rigging for controlling the torsioning. of. said exible means, said slack take-up mechanism being movable bodily relative to said means and said spring means being yieldable to such movement. 2. In a slack adjusting apparatus fora-vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, ahelical spring adapted when torsioned to drive said mechanism, and means remotely located. from said mechanism operative by the brake rigging for controlling the torsioning ofsaid spring, said take-up mechanism and means being capable of bodily movement relative to each other and said spring being yieldable to such movement.

3. In a slack adjusting apparatus for a vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, flexible means adapted to be wound up and thereby energized for driving said mechanism, and winding means operative by the brake rigging when the rigging is moved an excessive distance in effecting an application of the brakes for Winding up said flexible means, said slack takehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, a-resilient member adapted to be wound up and thereby energized for driving `said mechanism, means operative, only when an application of the brakes is being effected and there is a slack in the rigging to be taken up, for winding up said resilient member, means for holding the vwinding `means against rotation by said resilient member, the holding means being movable out `of holding relationship with said winding means upon movement of the winding means rearwardly oi itsnormal position for permitting manual operation of the slack take-up mechanism without opposition by said resilient member.

5. In a slack adjusting apparatus for a vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, a resilient member adapted to be woundup and thereby energized for driving said mechanism, means operative, only when an application of the brakes is being eiected and there is slack in the rigging to be taken up, for winding up said resilient member, said means comprising a ratchet wheel secured to said resilient member adapted, to be rotated towind up the resilient member, a driving pawl for the ratchet wheel, a member adapted to be operated by the brake rigging for actuating said driving pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel, and a locking pawl for holding said ratchet Wheel against reverse rotation by said resilient member, said member being operative manually for effecting-movement of said driving pawl out of driving engagement with the ratchet wheel,

andmeans operative upon the pawl disengaging movement of the member for moving the lock- .ingpawl out of locking engagement with the .ratchet wheel.

6. In a vehicle brake rigging of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, a slack take-up mecha- .nism carried by onevof said levers operative to decrease the effective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a torsionable flexible member adapted when torsioned for driving` said` mechanism, and means remotely located from said connector and operative by the other vof said levers for torsioning said flexibleV member.

7. Ina vehicle brake rigging ofthe type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other throughthe medium of a connector, a yslack take-up mechanism operative to decrease the effective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a exible member adapted to be energized for driving said mechanism, means-remotely located irom said connector and adapted to be rotated inoney direction by the brake rigging for energizing said flexible member, a pawl for holdingsaid means againstrotation in the opposite direction by said ieX/ible` member, a portion of said .means being soarranged and constructed as to bemanually'rotatable in saidv opposite direction for moving said pawl out of its holding position for permitting free manual rotation of the slack take-up mechanism in either the direction to take up slack or the direction to provide slack in the brake rigging.

8. In a vehicle brake rigging of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, a slack take-up mechanism operative to decrease the eiective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a flexible member adapted to be energized for driving said mechanism, means remotely located from said connector and adapted to be rotated in one direction by the brake rigging for energizing said flexible member, a paWl for holding said means against rotation in the opposite direction by said flexible member, a portion of said means being so arranged and constructed as to be manually rotatable in said opposite direction for moving said pawl out of its holding position for permitting free manual rotation of the slack take-up mechanism in either the direction to take up slack or the direction to provide slack in the brake rigging, a stop normally holding said portion against movement in said opposite direction and manually operable out of its holding position to permit such movement of the portion.

9. In a vehicle brake rigging of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, a slack take-up mechanism operative to decrease the effective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a spring adapted to be Wound up and thereby energized for actuating said mechanism, and means remotely located from said connector and operable by one of said levers when an application of the brakes is being effected and there is slack in the brake rigging to be taken up for Winding up said spring.

10. In a vehicle brake rigging of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, a slack take-up mechanism operative to decrease the eiective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a spring adapted to be Wound up and thereby energized for actuating said mechanism, means remotely located from said connector and operable by one of said levers When an application of the brakes is being effected and there is slack in the brake rigging to be taken up for Winding up said spring, and means locking said means against movement by said spring.

11. In a slack adjusting apparatus for a vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, resilient torsionable means operatively connect- -ed to said slack take-up mechanism and adapt-- ed when torsioned to actuate the mechanism, a rotatable shaft separate from the slack take-up mechanism and operative by the brake rigging to torsion the resilient torsionable means, said resilient torsionable means being yieldable to relative bodily movement between the slack take-up mechanism and said shaft.

12. In a slack adjusting apparatus for a vehicle brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, resilient torsionable means operatively connected to said slack take-up mechanism and adapted when torsioned to actuate the mechanism, rotatable means mounted separately from the slack take-up mechanism operative by the brake rigging for torsioning the resilient torsionable means, said resilient torsionable means being yieldable to relative bodily movement between said rotatable means and slack take-up mechanism.

13.- In a slack adjusting apparatus for a vehicle v brake rigging, a slack take-up mechanism, a single resilient torsionable, element operatively connected to said slack take-up mechanism and adapted when torsioned to actuate the mechanism, Winding means operable by the brake rigging for torsioning said element, said winding means being mounted separately from the slack,Y

take-up mechanism, and said element being yieldable to relative bodily movement between the winding means and slack take-up mechanism.

14. In a vehicle brake rigging of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, slack take-up mechanism associated with one of said levers and said-connector operative to decrease the effective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, and driving means operative by the brake rigging for actuating said slack take-up mechanism, said driving means comprising a rotatable driving element mounted separately from said slack take-up mechanism and also comprising a ilexible driving connection from said driving means to said slack take-up mechanism, said flexible driving connection being yieldable to relative bodily movement between said driving means and slack take-up mechanism.

15. In a vehicle brake of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, slack take-up mechanism carried by one of said levers and operative to decrease the etfective length of said connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a resilient torsionable element adapted when torsioned to actuate said slack take-up mechanism, and means xedly mounted separately from said slack take-up mechanism and operative by the brake rigging for torsioning said element, said element being ilexible to yield to movement of the slack takeup mechanism with the lever relative to said means.

16. In a vehicle brake of the type having a plurality of brake levers which are operatively associated with each other through the medium of a connector, slack take-up mechanism associated with one of said levers and the connector and operative to decrease the eiective length of the connector to take up slack in the brake rigging, a resilient torsionable element adapted when torsioned to actuate the slack take-up mechanism, and means operative by the brake rigging for torsioning said element, said means being xedly mounted against bodily movement and said slack take-up mechanism being movable bodily with the associated lever relativefto said means, and said element being yieldable to the movement of the slack take-up mechanism relative to said means.

CLYDE C. FARMER. 

